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A PATCHWORK MINDSCAPE

Public Art Youth Employment Program, Summer 2026 Kings County Family Court 1

Kings County Family Court Mural Unveiling

King County Family Court Tuesday, August 11, 1:00 p.m. 330 Jay Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201

These paintings were created as part of a Creative Art Works Public Art Youth Employment program which provides teens and young adults with apprenticeships creating large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Since 2011, CAW has painted more than 25 paintings or murals at New York Family Courthouses. Other projects include a short documentary and a visitor’s guide. This project marks our second partnership at Kings County. The paintings are intended to create a more serene and welcoming space by evoking familiar Brooklyn landmarks, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Coney Island Wonder Wheel, as well as row houses, local wildlife, and modes of transportation. Every youth apprentice working on this project contributed their own block print which makes up the border of each panel.

From Executive Director Karen Jolicoeur Dear Friends, This summer, we are making an investment with the potential to rewrite the future and drive meaningful advances in medicine, science, law, education, culture, and the arts. And while it is next-generation, it is not a new technological breakthrough or AI. It’s NYC’s young people. In only six weeks, more than 125 Creative Art Works youth apprentices painted four large-scale works of public art designed to strengthen community and transform public spaces. They designed a print campaign encouraging civic participation among Gen Z voters. And they produced a photo essay to draw attention to a hidden natural gem on the Harlem River. These were not academic exercises; they were ambitious, public-facing projects created for real clients and communities. Along the way, our youth apprentices gained practical work experience and developed skills that will serve them wherever their paths lead. Our clients gained something equally valuable: bold ideas, authentic youth voices, cultural insight, creative energy, and a willingness to question familiar assumptions. They received thoughtful, tangible assets that help build brands, engage communities, spark conversation, and create a stronger sense of place. Most importantly, they experienced what becomes possible when young people are trusted not merely as participants, but as collaborators and creators. Setting our YAs up for success throughout an intensive and rewarding summer requires the expertise and collaboration of our talented teaching artists, program staff, institutional partners, clients, and the many generous corporate and individual donors who support this program. We are proud to share with you what our young people have made. We hope it inspires you as much as it has inspired us. Yours sincerely,

Karen Jolicoeur Executive Director

Back Row: Maria Martinez, Dorian Negron, Lewa Richmond, Divine Dawkins, Dani Tyler-Zimm

Middle Row: Gianna Rodriguez, Max Blodgett, Sophia Ye, Lilyany Mirabal-Ramirez, Sam Valer

Front Row: Natalie Raskin, Nayeli Mendoza, Zosia Sinton, Ava Wu, Sanjida Mou, Diany Miraba 4

merman, Masha Nazarova, Zaydon George

rio, Yahir Hernandez, Catherine Cardoso

al-Ramirez, Afrodita Hernandez, Cass Waters 5

AFRODITA Afrodita Hernandez is a freshman at Queens College and recently turned 18 this year. She has resided in East New York for nearly 7 years. She also likes to volunteer in New York City and has been trying to give to the communities she grew up in. Communities such as Harlem, Corona, and East New York are places where she grew up. Apart from volunteering, some of her hobbies include traveling, learning about history, going to museums, reading, and watching movies such as the Hunger Games. Although it is her first time working with Creative Art Works she has enjoyed working with the team and improving her art skills as well as learning the art styles from her peers.

AMBROSE Ambrose Medina is an incoming junior from Mott Haven, currently residing in Cypress Hills, Brooklyn. She attends Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts, located in the heart of Times Square. She is an avid reader and writer, always looking for new ways to engage with the world around her and expand her craft. This is their first job with Creative Art Works, and she has found the program has helped to advance her art techniques and social skills. The best part of the job would be the collaborative aspects, along with the creative liberties given.

AVA

Ava Wu is an incoming college student who recently graduated from LaGuardia High School. She resides in Staten Island but spends most of her time in Brooklyn and Manhattan. For the past two summers, she has been with Creative Art Works, contributing to mural projects at the Manhattan and Kings County Family Courts. She returned this year because she enjoys collaborating with others as well as making art. Outside of CAW, she draws and paints, which are activities she has loved doing ever since she was a child. She is ultimately happy to utilize these skills to make communal art with others.

CATHERINE

Catherine Cardoso is a student at Design Works High School who was born and raised in Brooklyn. This is her second summer working with Creative Art Works, where she continues to develop her creativity, confidence, and professional skills. In her free time, Catherine enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends, exploring new places, and making lasting memories with the people she cares about. She has a strong passion for beauty and self-care, especially nail artistry. Catherine dreams of becoming a licensed nail technician and, one day, opening her own successful salon where she can express her creativity while helping others feel confident and beautiful. 7

DANI Dani Tyler-Zimmerman is a 21-year-old Youth Apprentice from Brooklyn, New York. They are a 3-time returning YA, and they are currently in their final year of education at Purchase College. One of their main hobbies currently is creative writing, which they spend a majority of their free time doing. They have a 500+ page story in the works at the moment, which is part of a fictional story centered around characters they created and developed over the course of the last 4-6 years. Being a part of the Creative Art Works program this summer has given them a significant amount of experience in public speaking, something they will gratefully take into the world with them after the summer ends

DIANY Diany Mirabal-Ramirez is an incoming sophomore majoring in Psychology at the State University of New York at New Paltz. They are Dominican and grew up in Brooklyn, New York. This is their first year at Creative Art Works and they enjoyed collaborating with many talented individuals to create a mural. In Diany’s free time they enjoy various hobbies such as knitting, needle felting, and making jewelry. Their goal is to improve the lives of people they interact with through a career as a mental health counselor

DIVINE Divine Dawkins is a junior at Borough of Manhattan Community College. They are a lover of the arts majoring in painting, and taking interest in other art mediums such as music, creative writing, and fashion. One of the most important things to Divine is making friends and connections. They believe through establishing connections is how people learn and grow from one another. Through this experience Divine has learned more about the design process for creating murals and working with real clients, something they’ve dreamt about. Divine hopes to continue to create more art that connects to the Brooklyn community in the future.

Dorian Amado Negron lives in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn. Dorian currently attends Cooke Transitions, and has worked with Creative Art Works before. He has made a self-portrait before, and spends his time listening to music. He is good at spelling, and likes to spend his time thinking about the world. He is known for his artwork.

DORIAN 9

LEWA

Lewa Richmond is a student at Brooklyn College. This is their first time working with Creative Art Works. Their previous experience with art has been through middle school and high school classes. Lewa is a biology student and enjoys science, playing video games, working, and nature. Lewa is good at gaming, studying, and helping others. She loves socializing when she can. She tends to talk about video games, tiktok, and social media a lot. She also spends a lot of her time thinking of the future. Lewa is known for their art, biology, and their surgeries. The best thing about her summer was her experience with this program. Lewa learned how to get better at art in many ways and made many friends, too. Lewa has a lot more confidence and feels much more connected to her community. This year, Lewa has become more mature.

LILY Lilyany Mirabal-Ramirez is a queer Dominican nonbinary person from East New York, Brooklyn. They’re going into their sophomore year at Mercy University, where they’re majoring in design and animation. This is their second summer with Creative Art Works and her second time at Kings County Family Court. They are passionate about crocheting and can often be seen with their handmade crocheted bag. After working on “The Sun Will Rise Again” last year, they’re excited to show everyone this new mural and they hope you enjoy it!

MARIA Maria Martinez lives in Brooklyn and has a digital marketing certificate. This is her first time working with Creative Art Works. She has experience in the arts, having worked as an art teacher assistant and a ceramics assistant. In her free time, Maria enjoys drawing with a variety of art media. Something else that she finds enjoyable is baking. She is also interested in video games and hopes to one day create her own game or be part of a game development team. Maria has been enjoying her summer with the Public Art Youth Employment program, where she has had the opportunity to meet new people, build connections, and continue developing her creative skills.

MASHA Maria Nazarova is an illustrator and graphic designer based in New York City. Originally from Moscow, Russia, she moved to NYC 10 years ago. Maria recently finished her degree in illustration and creative technology at the Fashion Institute of Technology. Inspired by fantasy and sci-fi worlds, she incorporates bright, unique elements into her work. She enjoys experimenting with various mediums, including markers, pens, pencils, acrylics, watercolors, and digital design. Maria is rarely without her sketchbook, always ready to capture new ideas wherever she goes. Currently, Maria is focused on enhancing her graphic design skills while developing her own animated sci-fi series, a passion project she is eager to bring to life. 11

Maximillian Blodgett is a 25-year-old aspiring music producer and DJ hailing from Brooklyn. He majored in music industry at SUNY Oneonta, where he studied and learned the creative intricacies of in-studio music production and the legal facets of the music business. Well before college, Max strove to make a name for himself in the electronic dance music scene by channeling self-taught skills into using a digital audio workstation to create music of his own. He’s always had an affinity for the turntables and never shies away from an opportunity to work a crowd. Max joined Creative Art Works with hopes of transmuting his artistic merit and knowledge of music into design ideas and creative contributions for this year’s mural project.

MAX

NAYELI Nayeli Mendoza was born and raised in Sunset Park, Brooklyn. This is her first year with Creative Art Works and her first job experience. Nayeli spends her free time improving herself through both digital and traditional artwork. This summer, she enjoyed getting outside her comfort zone by socializing and collaborating with others on their murals. This summer also introduced Nayeli to new art techniques and supplies she ended up loving to experiment with. She hopes to continue to look for and thrive in positive workplace environments in the future. 12

SAM Samuel Valerio is from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, and attends Borough of Manhattan Community College, pursuing an associate degree in sociology. This is his second summer with Creative Art Works, where he enjoys building connections and gaining new experiences. Although he doesn’t consider himself an artist, one of his greatest strengths is connecting with others and creating a welcoming environment. His goal is to complete his degree, transfer to a four-year college, and pursue a career in social work. He enjoys spending time with friends and family, playing video games, and relaxing. To Samuel, CAW is a place where he can enjoy himself and make the most of his summer.

SOPHIA Sophia Ye, born and raised in Brooklyn, is on her way to her fourth year at Brooklyn College. She is working her first-ever job with Creative Art Works, bringing 15 years of art experience if you count taking art classes every year since she started school. Sophia is majoring in digital art and minoring in creative writing. She spends her time drawing and writing her characters, which she will do until she has a complete comic book that enforces messages of free will and autonomy. One step at a time, this summer included. Thank you!

YAHIR Yahir Hernandez is a 16-year-old high school student born and raised in Brooklyn. This is his first time working with Creative Art Works, and he is very excited to learn new things and meets new people. He is always passionate about trying things he has never done before and exploring what opportunities come up in life. Yahir enjoys playing competitive games and open world game to see what many creative minds can put together in one place. He also enjoys spending time with his friends, as it’s always a good idea to keep close to people you care about and never forget how they are always there supporting you. Many of these details about Yahir are just the tip of the iceberg, as there are always more things to know about him and to see what one person has to offer.

ZAY Zaydon George is currently homeschooled and lives around Sunset Park. He loves to play video games, especially ones where he can utilize his creativity to the max. He came to Creative Art Works in hopes of being able to further improve his artistic and creative skills even more than before. He may not be much of a talker, but he’s willing to help wherever he can.

ZOSIA Zosia Sinton is from Park Slope, Brooklyn, and is an incoming senior at Repertory Company High School for Theatre Arts. She is an aspiring actor. This is her first time working with Creative Art Works. While she mainly acts, she has done some backstage work that included painting, which prepared her for her job this summer. Outside of CAW and school, she enjoys spinning fire, seeing live music, and hanging out with friends. Her favorite part of CAW was making new friends and growing her artistic ability.

CASS

TEACHING ARTIST

Cass Waters is a multidisciplinary artist and educator based in Brooklyn, New York. She currently serves as a Teaching Artist in the Public Art Youth Employment Program at Creative Art Works, where she supports young people in bringing large-scale mural projects to life. While painting is central to her practice, Cass also works in sound, video, and photography. Originally from Woodstock, Georgia, Cass developed her artistic voice while traveling across the U.S., working as an art model, and participating in open studio communities. She took an alternative path to art education, eventually relocating to New York City to pursue her Master of Fine Arts at the New York Academy of Art, where she graduated in 2025. Cass currently lives and works in Brooklyn, where she runs several community projects, including The Nostrand Gallery and The Exchange NYC.

Sanjida

TEACHING ARTIST ASSISTANT-IN-TRAINING Sanjida Mou, Born in the Bronx and raised in East Harlem, Sanjida is an aspiring scientist and artist currently attending New York University. As a BengaliAmerican, she takes as much pride in her culture as she does her hobbies. She is experienced in a variety of artistic disciplines, including painting, sketching, jewelry making, and sewing. In addition to her artistic endeavors, she is also experienced in crafting, gardening, and jiujitsu. She is always ready to expand her skill set. Sanjida was a CAW summer youth apprentice, working on “Journey of Dreams: Pathway to Purpose” in 2024 at the William B. Lynch School and on “The Blooming of Harlem” in 2025 at the Jacob H. Schiff School. These experiences made her feel confident in her creative abilities and ready to give back to the community.

Natalie

TEACHING ARTIST Natalie Raskin is a painter, writer, and art teacher raised and living in Brooklyn, working at the intersection of painted/printed visual language and poetry. She received a BA in Painting and Creative Writing from Sarah Lawrence College in 2019, and an MFA from Queens College/Social Practice CUNY in 2024. Natalie was a Fellow at Vermont Studio Center in 2024. She has shown paintings with Cluster Gallery, Museum 54, All Street Gallery, and ArtCake. Natalie has been published in journals such as Passing Notes and B.S. Lit. Her zine, The School of Birds, was published by Choo-Choo Press in February 2026, and her comic book Clap Twice If You Think I’m A Funny Girl came out with Obvious Fake Press this summer.

About the Public Art Youth Employment Program

Public Art Youth Employment Programs give teens and young adults full-time summer jobs and part-time jobs after school to create large-scale public art and multimedia projects. Youth Apprentices are guided by professional teaching artists from the initial concept development through client presentation, to the final edit and public unveiling or premiere. Along the way, they gain tangible employment and life skills such as leadership, teamwork, responsibility and the power of taking initiative. They are empowered by the enduring accomplishment in their work of art and its positive impact on the community.

About Creative Art Works

Creative Art Works is a 40-year-old nonprofit that empowers young people through the visual and multimedia arts. Our programs equip children, teens and young adults with essential tools and skills; connect them with community, academic success and career opportunities; and inspire them to reach for new possibilities. Working in underserved neighborhoods of NYC, we provide in-school and out-of-school time classes, creative workforce development programs, and community art-making events, in partnership with public schools, city and state agencies, youth centers, parks, and in juvenile justice settings. Our programs build confidence, unlock a love of learning, and teach valuable technical and social-emotional skills while creating profound connections between our young constituents, their art, and their communities. Students are never charged for participation, and youth apprentices earn wages. www.creativeartworks.org

SUPPORTERS

Milton & Sally Avery Arts Foundation

Creative Art Works’ Public Art Youth Employment program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Creative Art Works’ programming is made possible, in part, by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

PARTNERS

creative art works

creativeartworks.nyc

caw4kids

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